Something Random - Those Golden Olden Days!

Days have passed since my last blog and it's high time I get on with the next one. I am writing this blog after I met Nethra from Thanjavur, the renowned place for temples. 

Nethra belongs to the Sourashtra community, the community that is spread across the southern parts of Tamil Nadu basically from Madurai and Thanjavur. Nethra never lived in Thanjavur or Madurai but visited the place often during her school holidays. Those days were something she always wanted to cherish… the smell of coffee powder and baskets of jasmines that are home delivered in the evenings. Mom used to bring hand made murukku that were 24 layered spirals and that mouth watering Adhirasam. 

There was this temple just behind their home which used to house all the street children for an evening play. The temple was her Great Grandfather's and then their family became the traditional trustees. The temple was very small but it had that divinity and carried memories that Nethra could never forget. Her Uncle's and Aunt's marriages and their Baby Shower functions were held there and the Kacheri Mandapa used to be the bed for the extra guests who couldn't be accommodated in their home. She had 4 Uncles and 2 Aunts. They had a small hut like terrace where they all used to gather and have fun after a heavy lunch. She never remembered anything called a Bedroom in their home. It was a big visiting room followed by a Pooja Room, a very big Dining Hall and then a kitchen and the backyard. Every morning her grandpa used to do the Pooja and every one in the family line up in the room to get the kalkandu and theertham. Nethra in fact remembered that on number of occasion she has come to get the prasadam directly from her bed. No bath, no brushing. There was a Tamboora in the Pooja room which all kids in the home used to lay down and play it all together. Grandpa's gifts for every birthday would be his Old Fountain Pens. Nethra always preferred his green pens. Every Annual School holiday was a waiting and when they all meet, a van was arranged and they visited nearby temples. The van also carried Ambhat bath (Tamarind Rice), Limbu Bath (Lemon Rice) and dhaim Bath (Curd Rice) and the pooja coconut was a side dish. Nothing in this world tasted anything best than this. Nethra was also fond of a Sourashtrian pickle called Ibbin which is made from Gooseberry and Mango. The pickle is white in color and would taste heaven.

And never can she forget the days she visits Madurai, her mom's hometown. The thick jasmine flower on her hair would weigh a thousand pounds but still it was lovely. Her Grandma used to decorate her hair with flowers and everyone in the streets would tease her of her Phool Veni (Poo chadai). She had a big family here too with 4 uncles and 3 aunts. The family get together was always fun. The Jil Jil Jigarthanda on Sunday afternoon after the heavy lunch was so yummy. Madurai Grandma was so strict that she preferred Thanjavur than this place, but the treasures her Grandma carried in her locked Wooden Bureau would make her come again to the place. It carried few silver rings, some precious stones, her Mom's palar (a small bowl used to feed medicine to infants), nice necklaces made of antique silver, earrings and a whole lot of old coins. There was this neighbour boy with whom Nethra used to play. They made Ganesh statues in clay and offered him Sooda Mittai and Pulippu Mittai and Orange Mittai (Varieties of Candy). The garden was very huge with a big Peepal tree, a neem tree, a cotton tree, papaya and few coconuts. There were all types of flowers and vegetables available. Nethra was very scared to visit the garden during the evenings. Her Grandma had all God's statues in Brass and they weighed a lot. They dressed the gods in silk and decorated them with so many flowers. She remembers the Saturday afternoons that had the Kavula Bhath, a mixed rice that has Ghee, Oil, Papad, Greens, Vegetables, Sambar, Rasam, Sundal Amti (Kuzhambu), Curd, Milk, served specially to Venkatachalapathy. The food always tastes wonderful after it's served to God. She very much believes this because when you try to mix the rice separately you would never get that taste. They visited the Madurai Meenakshi amman temple and on the way back they had Vada or a snack. The night time would usually end with her Grandma reading stories from Bhagavad Geeta and she was so very fond of the Krishna Leelai. 

Things naturally change when time goes by. Nethra moved to college when her visits to her hometowns started decreasing. She desperately waited for those wonderful times. Her old home in Thanjavur is no more. There is now a new home constructed by her uncles. Her Madurai grand ma home is sold and after her grand parents demise, she has completely stopped visiting the places.

Life has changed so much, and Nethra wonders if her children would have this life… the wonderful places she has visited, the kids she played with, the golden hearts of people around her. Nethra missed them and is scared about the thought that her children would never get them. Work and Money play important role in life today and not able to go back to those olden days really brings tears to Nethra's eyes… even mine!!